Meesman vs DEGIRO for Expats: Costs and Fit 2026

This comparison is for expats in the Netherlands who want to invest for the long term and are choosing between a fund manager (Meesman) and a broker (DEGIRO). All fees below come from the providers’ own pages, checked on 25 September 2026.

💡 Looking for a complete banking comparison? Read Best banking for expats in the Netherlands 2026, which covers ABN, ING, bunq, Wise, Revolut and five others by expat use case.

Quick answer: Meesman and DEGIRO work in different ways, so the comparison is less about “which is cheaper” and more about which model fits your situation.

At Meesman you pick one of four in-house index funds, set up a monthly contribution and Meesman does the buying once a week. You pay a yearly fund cost (0.4% on its world equity fund) plus 0.2% per purchase or sale. At DEGIRO you choose your own ETFs or shares and place each order yourself, paying per transaction (for example €1 handling for ETFs in the ETF Core Selection). Currency, connectivity or external product and spread costs may apply. Investing involves risk of loss. This is not investment advice.

What Each Platform Is

Meesman

Meesman is a Dutch fund manager with a deliberately small range. On its website it currently lists four funds: Aandelen Wereldwijd Totaal (world equities, large, mid and small caps, developed and emerging markets), Aandelen Verantwoorde Toekomst (world equities with extra climate-based exclusions), Obligaties Wereldwijd (bonds) and the Rentefonds (short-term bonds and deposits, positioned as a savings alternative).

You open an account online, choose a fund or a mix, and transfer money manually or by monthly direct debit. The funds are not listed on an exchange. Meesman processes purchases and sales once a week.

You can only invest in Meesman’s own funds.

DEGIRO

DEGIRO is a European online broker with more than 3 million investors (DEGIRO Product Brief, September 2026). It is execution-only: it carries out your orders and does not give investment advice. Through DEGIRO you can trade a broad range of instruments, including shares, ETFs, bonds and funds, on many exchanges.

The account types currently offered to new clients in the Netherlands are Basic, Active and Trader (plus Day Trader). DEGIRO’s Custody account is no longer offered to new clients; only existing Custody accounts remain.

The Key Difference

Meesman is a fund: you hand over money and the fund invests it according to a fixed index mix. DEGIRO is a broker: you decide what to buy, when and at what price.

Neither model is better in general. It comes down to how much you want to decide yourself, how you want to pay for it, and whether you need an English-language platform.

Fees

Meesman fees

Meesman publishes the following costs (meesman.nl, “Kosten”, checked 25 September 2026):

The fund costs are deducted inside the fund price, so you never see a separate invoice. On €10,000 in Aandelen Wereldwijd Totaal the fund costs work out at about €40 a year.

DEGIRO fees

DEGIRO charges per order. These are the rates for Dutch accounts (DEGIRO fee schedule, rates from 1 January 2026; checked 25 September 2026):

The ETF Core Selection gives access to more than 1,000 ETFs, ETCs and ETNs on Tradegate for a €1 handling fee per transaction. Currency or external product and spread costs may apply.

Other cost items at DEGIRO:

• Exchange connectivity fee: €2.50 per exchange per calendar year (capped at 0.25% of account value). It does not apply to Euronext Amsterdam, Euronext Brussels, OTC Tradias or the ETF Core Selection.
• Currency: AutoFX at 0.25%, built into the buy or sell price; a manual currency transaction costs €10 plus 0.25%.
• ETF ongoing charges: every ETF has its own yearly cost, set by the fund provider and deducted inside the fund. You pay this on top of DEGIRO’s fees. Check the ETF’s key information document for the figure.
• Deposits, withdrawals, inactivity, custody: no DEGIRO fee. Transaction fees and currency, connectivity or external product and spread costs may apply. Specific custody or external product fees may apply for certain instruments where offered. See DEGIRO’s Fee Schedule.

What this looks like for a monthly investor

A worked example: €200 a month (€2,400 a year), 12 purchases a year and an average invested balance of €5,000 during the year. For DEGIRO we assume an ETF with ongoing charges of 0.20% a year. That percentage is an example, not a specific product.

The same calculation with €300 a month (€3,600 a year) and an average balance of €50,000:

What the tables show: Meesman’s costs scale with the size of your portfolio, DEGIRO’s fees scale with the number of orders you place. With a small balance the difference is a few euros; with a larger balance a percentage-based fund cost weighs more heavily.

Two things are not in these tables. Spreads and currency costs can apply at DEGIRO, depending on the product and venue. And Meesman states that its equity funds can reclaim most foreign dividend tax, which it expects to add roughly 0.4% to 0.5% a year compared with funds that cannot. That is Meesman’s own estimate, not a guarantee, but it is relevant when you compare total costs. The ongoing charges of the ETF you would actually hold also make a difference. Investing involves risk of loss.

Fund Selection

Meesman

Four funds, as listed above. There are no individual shares, no sector funds and no products from other providers. Meesman’s view is that a broad index fund held for the long term is enough, and it builds its range around that.

DEGIRO

DEGIRO offers a broad range of instruments. For long-term index investors the relevant part is the ETF range: world equity ETFs, regional and emerging-market ETFs, bond ETFs, sustainability-screened ETFs and more. Through the ETF Core Selection alone you have access to more than 1,000 ETFs, ETCs and ETNs on Tradegate.

More choice also means more decisions: which index, which provider, accumulating or distributing, which listing. DEGIRO does not make those choices for you.

Tax Considerations for Expats in the Netherlands

Both Meesman funds and ETFs held at DEGIRO fall under box 3, the Dutch tax on savings and investments. Under the current system the Belastingdienst taxes an assumed return on the value of your assets on 1 January, not what you actually earned.

For 2026 the Belastingdienst lists a tax-free allowance of €59,357 per person, an assumed return of 6.00% on investments and a box 3 rate of 36% (checked on the Belastingdienst website on 24 September 2026; see our box 3 reference date guide for sources and the full calculation). How a Meesman fund or an ETF affects your box 3 bill depends on its value on 1 January, not on the provider.

The practical differences are in reporting and dividends:

• Meesman gives you an annual overview with the 1 January value of your fund units. With one or two funds that is a short list.
• DEGIRO provides an annual report with your positions and cash on 1 January. With several ETFs you have more lines to check.
• Dividend tax: Meesman says its equity funds can reclaim most of the dividend tax withheld abroad. For ETFs, the fund’s domicile and structure determine how much withholding tax is lost inside the fund.

Meesman also offers a pension account (Pensioenrekening) for people who live and pay tax only in the Netherlands, with tax relief on contributions and a balance that is locked until retirement.

Tax treatment depends on your individual circumstances and may change. Please consult a tax adviser.

Ease of Use

Meesman

There are few decisions to make once your account is set up: you choose a fund, set a contribution and wait for the weekly processing. No order types, no exchange hours, no bid and ask prices.

Meesman’s website and documents are in Dutch. For basic tasks that is manageable with a translation tool; for detailed questions about pension accounts or tax it can be harder.

DEGIRO

DEGIRO’s web platform and app are available in English, which is practical if you do not read Dutch. You place orders yourself and choose between order types such as market and limit orders.

If you have never bought an ETF before, expect to learn a few things first: how order types work, when exchanges are open and what a spread is. DEGIRO publishes educational material; educational resources are not investment advice, and DEGIRO is execution-only.

The platform shows your positions and results, but it does not offer extensive built-in portfolio analysis. DEGIRO says it is working on more portfolio features.

Customer Service

Meesman: support by phone (+31 70 363 73 00) and through a contact form, in Dutch.

DEGIRO: phone support on working days from 8:00 to 22:00, and email you can send at any time. Email replies can sometimes be slow; DEGIRO says it has improved on this. There is no in-app chat.

For complex questions about tax, inheritance or emigration, neither provider gives personal advice. That is the job of a tax adviser.

Which Fits Which Situation

This is not a recommendation: which option fits depends on your own knowledge, goals and circumstances. Investing involves risk of loss. This is not investment advice.

Meesman’s model fits situations where:

• you want a small, fixed range of funds and prefer not to place orders yourself;
• weekly processing of purchases and sales is fine for you;
• a percentage-based fund cost is acceptable to you, and you read Dutch reasonably well;
• a Dutch pension account with tax relief is relevant to you.

DEGIRO’s model fits situations where:

• you want to choose your own ETFs or shares and place orders yourself;
• you want a broad range of instruments available, on many exchanges;
• you prefer to pay per transaction instead of a percentage of your portfolio;
• you want an English-language platform.

Some investors use both: a fund at Meesman and a broker account at DEGIRO. There is no rule against holding accounts with both.

What to Consider Before Choosing Funds or ETFs

This section explains the questions to answer before you choose. It is educational and does not tell you what to buy. This is not investment advice.

• Time horizon. When will you need the money? A house purchase in three years is a different situation from saving for retirement.
• Buffer. Is your emergency money arranged separately? Investments can fall in value just when you need cash.
• Risk. How would you react to a fall of 20% or more? Equity funds and ETFs can fall that much.
• Number of positions. One broad fund means one line to follow. Several ETFs give more control but also more decisions and more orders.
• Costs. Compare the fund or ETF’s ongoing charges, transaction costs per order and any currency costs.
• Accumulating or distributing. Do you want dividends reinvested inside the fund or paid out to your account?
• Your likely next country. If you may leave the Netherlands, check in advance whether you can keep the account.

Leaving the Netherlands

The answer differs per provider.

Meesman when you leave

Meesman’s investment account is open to people who live and pay tax only in the EU, the UK, Switzerland or Norway and who have a bank account with an EU bank (meesman.nl, checked 25 September 2026). If you move within that area, the conditions do not in themselves require you to close the account. If you move outside it, you no longer meet the conditions; contact Meesman about what that means for your holdings. The Pensioenrekening has stricter rules, as it is only for residents and taxpayers of the Netherlands.

DEGIRO when you leave

DEGIRO works with accounts per country of residence. If you move, ask DEGIRO in advance how your account will be handled. If you want to move your holdings to another broker, DEGIRO charges €20 per line plus external costs for an outgoing portfolio transfer. Incoming transfers carry no DEGIRO fee, although the sending broker may charge its own costs.

In both cases, selling or transferring can have tax consequences in your old and new country of residence. Tax treatment depends on your individual circumstances and may change. Please consult a tax adviser.

Box 3: What It Means in Numbers

A simplified 2026 example for a single person with €80,000 in investments and no other assets or debts in box 3, using the Belastingdienst figures above:

• assumed return: €80,000 × 6.00% = €4,800;
• taxable base: €80,000 − €59,357 tax-free allowance = €20,643;
• box 3 income: €4,800 × (€20,643 ÷ €80,000) = €1,239;
• tax: 36% × €1,239 = about €446.

The calculation is the same whether the €80,000 sits in a Meesman fund or in ETFs at DEGIRO. A worked example with savings and investments combined is in our box 3 reference date guide.

If your total assets (savings plus investments, minus debts above the threshold) stay below the tax-free allowance, you pay no box 3 tax. Tax treatment depends on your individual circumstances and may change. Please consult a tax adviser.

The eToro Option

If you are also looking at crypto or social trading, read our eToro Review for Expats Netherlands 2026. eToro works differently from both Meesman and DEGIRO, with a USD investment account next to an optional EUR account and its own fee structure.

Funding From Abroad

If you fund your investment account from a foreign bank account, compare the currency conversion before you transfer. Banks often add a margin to the exchange rate. A service such as Wise → shows the rate and fee upfront, so you can compare it with your bank’s quote.

Internal Resources

• Best ETF Platforms Netherlands for Expats 2026
• eToro Review for Expats Netherlands 2026
• Crypto Tax Netherlands: Expat Guide
• Life Insurance for Expats in Netherlands 2026
• Retiring in the Netherlands: Expat Guide
• Side Hustle and Passive Income Netherlands 2026
• DEGIRO Review for Expats Netherlands 2026
• Dutch Utilities Explained for Expats 2026

Costs Over Time: Two Cost Scenarios

The examples below compare costs only. They do not assume any return: the portfolio values are fixed amounts for the calculation, not a forecast. The DEGIRO figures again use an example ETF with ongoing charges of 0.20% a year.

Scenario 1: monthly contributions, €30,000 average balance

€250 a month (12 purchases, €3,000 a year) with an average balance of €30,000:

• Meesman Aandelen Wereldwijd Totaal: 0.4% × €30,000 = €120 fund costs, plus 0.2% × €3,000 = €6 transaction costs. Total €126 a year.
• DEGIRO, ETF in the Core Selection: 12 × €1 = €12 handling fees, plus 0.20% × €30,000 = €60 ongoing charges. Total €72 a year before spreads and currency costs.
• DEGIRO, ETF outside the Core Selection on Euronext Amsterdam: 12 × €3 = €36, plus €60. Total €96 a year before spreads and currency costs.

Scenario 2: one lump sum of €20,000, no further contributions

• Meesman Aandelen Wereldwijd Totaal: 0.2% × €20,000 = €40 once on purchase, then 0.4% × €20,000 = €80 a year in fund costs.
• DEGIRO, ETF in the Core Selection: €1 once, then 0.20% × €20,000 = €40 a year in ongoing charges, before spreads and currency costs.

Currency, connectivity or external product and spread costs may apply at DEGIRO. Meesman’s expected dividend-tax advantage, described in the fees section, is not included. Investing involves risk of loss.

Sustainability-Screened Options

Meesman has two sustainability-related elements. Aandelen Wereldwijd Totaal follows MSCI ESG-screened indices with a limited number of exclusions. Aandelen Verantwoorde Toekomst goes further, with climate-based exclusions and a heavier weighting of companies Meesman considers well positioned for the energy transition. Its fund costs are 0.5% a year.

DEGIRO offers many ETFs with ESG or SRI screening from different providers. The screening methods differ a lot between funds, so compare the index methodology and the ongoing charges in each fund’s documents. Listing a product type here is not a recommendation. This is not investment advice.

Accumulating vs Distributing

Meesman’s funds reinvest dividends inside the fund, according to Meesman’s fund pages. You do not receive a payout.

At DEGIRO you can choose between:

• accumulating ETFs, which reinvest dividends inside the fund;
• distributing ETFs, which pay dividends into your account. If you want to reinvest, you place a new order and pay the normal transaction fee.

For box 3 the current system looks at the value on 1 January, whichever type you hold. Withholding tax on dividends from the underlying companies depends on the fund’s domicile and structure. Tax treatment depends on your individual circumstances and may change. Please consult a tax adviser.

Currency Risk

Both a Meesman world fund and a world ETF at DEGIRO hold companies in many currencies, mainly US dollars. Even if you see the value in euros, exchange rates affect it. Currency fluctuations can impact your returns.

Meesman handles everything inside the fund; you only see values in euros.

At DEGIRO many ETFs are listed in euros, but some trade in other currencies. If you buy a product in another currency, AutoFX converts at 0.25%, built into the price. The currency exposure of the underlying companies remains in either case.

Currency-hedged ETFs exist; they aim to reduce currency effects but have their own costs and risks. This is not investment advice.

Opening an Account

Meesman

1. Go to meesman.nl and choose “Rekening openen”. The process is in Dutch.
2. Choose between a Beleggingsrekening and a Pensioenrekening.
3. Verify your identity and link a bank account with an EU bank.
4. Choose your fund or funds.
5. Set up your contribution. The minimum is €50 a month, €600 a year or €10,000 in one go.

Meesman states that opening an account takes a few minutes and costs nothing. If you do not have a bank account yet, see our best bank accounts for expats guide.

DEGIRO

1. Register on the DEGIRO website or in the app. The process is available in English.
2. Verify your identity with a passport or ID card.
3. Provide your address, tax details and a bank account.
4. Fund the account. Dutch DEGIRO accounts support iDEAL as well as a regular bank transfer; accounts from other countries may not support iDEAL.

Depending on the products you want to trade, DEGIRO may ask you to complete an appropriateness test about your knowledge and experience. Investing involves risk of loss.

Supervision and Structure

DEGIRO: flatexDEGIRO Bank Dutch Branch, trading under the name DEGIRO, is the Dutch branch of flatexDEGIRO Bank SE. flatexDEGIRO Bank SE is primarily supervised by the German financial regulator (BaFin). In the Netherlands, flatexDEGIRO Bank Dutch Branch is registered with DNB and supervised by AFM and DNB.

Securities lending at DEGIRO is always opt-in; it does not happen unless you choose it. If you consider it: investing involves risk of loss. Borrowers may not act in your interest.

Meesman: Meesman states that if it goes bankrupt, all client investments fall outside its estate. The fund page of Aandelen Wereldwijd Totaal states that the fund does not lend out securities.

Neither provider can protect you against falling markets. That risk is part of investing.

External source: Belastingdienst — Box 3 — official information on how savings and investments are taxed.